Length of "Moment Of Silence" prior to sporting event

[Jackknifed Juggernaut]

I was watching the Chelsea-Tottenham FA Cup semi-final yesterday. Being in the US, I've witnessed/attended my share of moments of silence, but can't recall one ever being that long. The Fox Soccer Channel announcers didn't adequately explain the reason for this one, but it seemed like it lasted over a minute! Is this a British thing, or was there a special reason for this particularly long one? Over here, they barely last 10 seconds. I have to hand it to the crowd that stayed completely silent and stone-faced the whole time. In the US, I often see people whisper to each other or show some sort of facial expression, and that's for the 10-second version!

[Novelty Bobble]

The one in question was supposed to be a full minute in remembrance of the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.

As it was, it had to be cut short as some of the more simian Chelsea fans decided to start chanting.

Now, if it has been decided that there is to be a minutes silence then I think you are an absolute dick to break it. However, I would like to see the end of these entirely. There is a tendency to take any incident as an excuse for a silence and the more there are, the more it diminishes the meaning. The commoditisation of grief. The same is true of Liverpool refusing to play on the anniversary of Hillsborough. How long is that going to be kept up for?

If you are playing a game on Remembrance Sunday then yes, do it, and do it properly. Otherwise......don't bother.

[Smapti]

"How long has it been?"
"Six seconds."
"Do we have to start over?"
"Hell no!"